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Squirrels Keep Eating My Shit: F150 Edition

greasy

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Jun 25, 2007
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Winter 2016/2017 I had an issue with the truck where some critter chewed through the wiring harness, specifically the wiring that attaches to the injectors. It only happened once last year and I had Ford replace the wiring on the harness for cylinders 1/3. Never had the issue again so I figured it was an isolated incident.



Fast forward to this past mid November, same issue. This time it was cylinders 2/4/6. Went to Ford again and they replaced the wiring. Still not sure what animal is doing this.



Get the truck back from the dealer all is well. Sometime in early to mid December I hop in my truck to head somewhere and I when I fired it up I heard something moving in the engine bay. I notice a few seconds later a squirrel runs out from the passenger side of my vehicle. I thought son of a bitch squirrels are eating my shit. So I kill the truck and get out to look under the hood, I find a damn forest sitting on top of the motor. I pull all of the sticks, leaves, and plastic bags that a squirrel used to make a nest off the top of the motor and use a blower to remove the rest of the debris. I find the foam cover that sits on top on the fuel rail and wiring all chewed up and the wires for cylinder 2/4 partially chewed through again.



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I tape up the wiring that was chewed up and made up a nasty hot sauce spray solution. I coated the entire engine bay in this shit along with all of the entry points into the engine bay at the wheel wells and front of the truck. All seems good until yesterday. I got home with my kids from being out parked the truck in the driveway at 1PM. Later in the early evening around 7PM I fire up the truck and start cleaning ice off the windows. After I am done I hop in the truck to leave and I notice it is running rough again. Pop the hood because I am sure my shit is chewed up again and sure enough it is! No nest, but 2/4/6 completely chewed through.

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greasy

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Jun 25, 2007
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Damn that sucks man! Never would have thought the squirrels would be up in there eating your shit. Not sure what to do in that situation except hunt squirrels.

Yeah it does suck. I hoping that the hot sauce spray was some sort of deterrent because there was no nest, but I am not sure. I cannot park in the garage because the truck doesn't fit. I am not sure what else to do, I might park in another area away from the townhouse but that is going to suck when it is crazy cold out.
 

cap42

Restoration Hell
Mar 22, 2005
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I had this same problem with my mustang, something about ferd wiring must be tasty.

I had a squirrel and a chipmunk family living in my garage one year, got out the air pellet gun and took care of a few of them. Then used rat poison traps in the garage. Thankfully I haven't had any problems since but man unfucking wire harness sucks!
 

greasy

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I had this same problem with my mustang, something about ferd wiring must be tasty.

I had a squirrel and a chipmunk family living in my garage one year, got out the air pellet gun and took care of a few of them. Then used rat poison traps in the garage. Thankfully I haven't had any problems since but man unfucking wire harness sucks!

I need to have a talk with this person that's townhome backs up to mine because they keep feeding these things. Poison is definitely an option.

has to be so fucking annoying though. i can't imagine walking out to that daily

I could think of better ways to be spending my time :rofl:
 

Mr_Roboto

Doing the jobs nobody wants to
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Feb 4, 2012
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Well, the ideal TCG solution would be to buy another identical truck and just leave it there parked for then to feast on... I figure this was a bit more economical

Actually I was going to tell him to shoot the damn things with some snake shot if out of the city and a pellet gun if in the city. Fucking bushy tailed rats.
 

greasy

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Jun 25, 2007
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Time to adopt some cats

I’d be at my wits end dealing with that

But amazon saves you $8.88!

:rofl: True dat!

Well, the ideal TCG solution would be to buy another identical truck and just leave it there parked for then to feast on... I figure this was a bit more economical

Good point, putting in a PO request with corporate for loaded Raptor for decoy truck.

Actually I was going to tell him to shoot the damn things with some snake shot if out of the city and a pellet gun if in the city. Fucking bushy tailed rats.

I don't need the police showing up at my residence with reports of me running around with a rifle and then I get lit up hahahahahha
 

Flyn

Go ahead. I'll catch up.
Moderator
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Mar 1, 2004
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Selling homes on the Gulf Coast of Florida
Squirrels/mice/rats are a real pain when they decide to make your vehicle their warm home. I had an insurance claim years ago for the same thing. Don't remember how I stopped them. I may have sealed the garage cracks better or something like that.

I have an evil squirrel who lives by my home now. He likes to climb up my lanai screen and run across my roof. I run outside growling at him when I see him. Rowarrr!
 

1quick

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Jan 29, 2008
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just reading your story infuriated me, this is something I used to do before I had my dog, my yard was over run with squirrels at one point, I have an apple tree and one day a half eaten apple fell from an oak tree from so high up it dented the roof of one of my trucks, so I pick a spot in my yard that has a perfect clear view from a window to a tree that’s about 2 feet thick, I bait in front of the tree for a couple weeks all the squirrels know where to come for food, at this point every time I saw a squirrel come eat I started shooting them with my pellet gun, within a couple days I didn’t have a squirrel problem anymore

Edit I was shooting them from inside my house through the window so the neighbors wouldn’t see me shooting in town, I have a big pre charged pneumatic .25 caliber pellet gun with a silenced barrel
 

greasy

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Jun 25, 2007
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Honda rodent tape and high frequency units purchased, I'll report back!

Squirrels/mice/rats are a real pain when they decide to make your vehicle their warm home. I had an insurance claim years ago for the same thing. Don't remember how I stopped them. I may have sealed the garage cracks better or something like that.

I have an evil squirrel who lives by my home now. He likes to climb up my lanai screen and run across my roof. I run outside growling at him when I see him. Rowarrr!

I'll try the chasing the squirrels while growling tactic only as a last resort after shooting and poison HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

just reading your story infuriated me, this is something I used to do before I had my dog, my yard was over run with squirrels at one point, I have an apple tree and one day a half eaten apple fell from an oak tree from so high up it dented the roof of one of my trucks, so I pick a spot in my yard that has a perfect clear view from a window to a tree that’s about 2 feet thick, I bait in front of the tree for a couple weeks all the squirrels know where to come for food, at this point every time I saw a squirrel come eat I started shooting them with my pellet gun, within a couple days I didn’t have a squirrel problem anymore

Edit I was shooting them from inside my house through the window so the neighbors wouldn’t see me shooting in town, I have a big pre charged pneumatic .25 caliber pellet gun with a silenced barrel

I could get a winter gilly suit and plant my ass outside! I really don't want to shoot these vermin or poison as my next option. It may come to that.

wire MFG'rs are using corn based plastic to coat wires as it is cheaper. same on BMW's. Sr manager ahd a headlight wire issue due to rodents chewing through it.

that pepper tape might work.

I never thought of that, crazy if true.
 
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